Haltia has committed to following the principles of sustainable development in its operations. The building is highly ecological, and the services have been built around the surrounding nature. We encourage our visitors to enjoy sustainable hiking and take care of the environment.
Haltia increases environmental awareness and reinforces people’s relationship with nature through exhibitions and other services
Haltia’s exhibitions, guided tours, Nature School Days, and events help visitors deepen their relationship with nature and increase their environmental awareness.
Haltia’s exhibitions also show the visitors how to assume responsibility for the environment. The exhibitions at Haltia showcase Finnish nature. Their purpose is to give visitors impactful experiences and encourage them to spend time in nature. The exhibitions follow the principles of sustainable development. For example, recycled materials are used as building materials.
Nature near Haltia and the woods and waters of Nuuksio National Park offer excellent hiking and recreational opportunities. Visitors can enjoy campfire sites and trails and consult Haltia’s hiking information desk free of charge.
Haltia encourages its visitors to enjoy sustainable hiking and take care of the environment. Environmental education increases awareness of the importance of nature conservation and helps people build a stronger relationship with nature. Haltia’s Nature School Days and guided tours for schoolchildren and adults and events are one way to increase environmental awareness.
Many people are inspired to take concrete actions to protect nature. The entity behind the operations of Haltia, Metsähallitus, has joined forces with other organisations to provide opportunities to join voluntary activities in natural conservation area management, protection of threatened species, and game and fish population management. The number of people involved in voluntary activities is on the increase.
Haltia is an eco-friendly wooden building
Haltia is made of wood. The eco-friendly design and construction of the building paid careful attention to the shape of the building, the placement of elements, the number of windows, the orientation, and daily fluctuations. Haltia’s objective is to create a minimal carbon footprint.
In 2015, the Finnish Nature Centre Haltia won the award for sustainable development at the highly esteemed European Museum of the Year Awards.
Haltia saves energy
Haltia has implemented many energy-saving solutions. The whole building is designed to minimise the energy needed for heating, cooling, and lighting.
- Haltia has installed solar collectors and panels on the roof that save energy.
- Haltia’s soil is used to heat the building with geothermal energy and cool it down.
- The large window walls illuminate the entire building with natural light. For example, the tall, large windows in the Haltia hall let natural light into the auditorium.
Learn more about Haltia’s eco-technology >>
Sustainable tourism in the middle of nature
Haltia is located in the middle of nature in Nuuksio, approximately 30 minutes from Helsinki. You can also reach the Nature Centre by public transport. Haltia is a short-haul tourist attraction that combines ecological solutions, nature exhibitions, local food, rental of hiking equipment, and overall enjoyment of nature.
Located by Pitkäjärvi Lake in Nuuksio, the Nature Centre is an ideal starting point for a hike in the surrounding nature or in the Nuuksio National Park.
Explore Finnish national parks and hiking areas at Haltia’s exhibitions!
Haltia encourages you to enjoy nature!
Outdoor activities increase well-being. One of Haltia’s main goals is to highlight nature’s impact on health and well-being.
Haltia’s theme for the years 2021-2022 was nature’s impact on our well-being. Recharge Your Brain in Nature exhibition introduced to the health impacts of nature and inspired to enjoy the beneficial effects in a more conscious manner. In addition to information, the exhibition offered tips and inspiration on how we can, for example, activate our senses in nature in a more conscious manner.
Being in a natural environment shapes our brain in a way that increases well-being.
In connection with the exhibition, a “Map to brain well-being” was implemented – a nature trail material that can be implemented in any suitable natural environment. The map guides you to recharge your brain in nature. The tasks help to calm down in nature, to be present, to listen to others and to share one’s own thoughts. At the same time, we also learn the skills of observing nature, which can be deepened, for example, by continuing to study species.
Behind Haltia
Haltia’s services are built with nature in mind. Routes to Haltia have been created by considering the natural value of the area. The service structures of these routes are long-term and their life-cycle costs are low. The maintenance of the Nature Centre is designed to have a minimal impact on local nature. Haltia visitors are given tips to protect nature and promote rubbish-free hiking.
Haltia has established a sustainable development team that meets regularly.
Sustainable and eco-labelled products are favoured in procurement. The products sold in the Haltia shop are selected carefully and they support the reinforcement of people’s relationship with nature. Haltia sorts and recycles waste efficiently. Both personnel and visitors are instructed to sort their waste correctly.
Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland manage Haltia’s actions. Haltia operates in compliance with the Metsähallitus Responsibility Programme. Metsähallitus has been granted the ISO14001 environmental management system certificate. The actions that Metsähallitus are doing in Haltia, has a Business Finland Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) certificate.
Finland Naturally Experiences, responsible for Haltia’s operative actions, has the Green Activities and Sustainable Travel Finland certificates. As a certified operator, Finland Naturally Experiences is committed to, for example, increasing environmental awareness among its personnel and customers, promoting energy and water efficiency, and reducing the environmental impact of its operations. The Green Activities certificate is granted and monitored by social enterprise Going Green Oy, owned by FEE Suomi.
The operator of Restaurant Haltia, Delicatessen Ravintolapalvelut, has been granted the EcoCompass certificate. The extra heat produced by the kitchen appliances of Restaurant Haltia is recovered and used efficiently. The food served by the restaurant is, for the most part, of domestic origin, and the restaurant favours locally produced ingredients and foods. The restaurant uses sustainably caught fish, serves vegetarian food daily and utilises most of its food waste.
